The animals are most active at dawn and dusk. As a result, we drove into the park twice, once in the early evening on Monday and again early the following morning. Unfortunately, despite our safari guide’s best efforts, we never saw a tiger. However, we did confirm their existence by spotting fresh paw prints along a sandy 4WD trail on our final outing.
Getting to and from Ranthambore was a lesson in Indian poverty like no other I’ve ever encountered. Three things stood out during our time in the area. First, the roads were in poor repair. Now, when I say “poor repair” what I really mean is the more remote roads were literally 90 per cent potholes separated by the odd segment of battered asphalt. At times our driver veered off the road and simply drove along the sloping verge as it was far easier to navigate than the cratered pavement.
Second, even in the remotest country areas, people were everywhere. I mean literally everywhere. We encountered endless streams of people walking along the roadside, sitting in groups, and working in the fields. It was a healthy reminder of what it takes to fit more than a billion people into such a compact sub-continent.
Finally, every village we drove through was an eye-opening experience. The roads were dusty and unsealed, and the drains and alleyways were littered with debris and refuge. Scrawny animals roamed uninhibited, and the endless piles of human waste were impossible to ignore. The chaotic crowds of people and traffic were equally mind-blowing.
However, there was one positive highlight. I loved the entrepreneurial spirit of the local villagers. The variety of shops and stalls was like nothing I’ve ever seen. Everyone had their own unique niche. I recall spotting a store that sold nothing but toilet seats, another specialized in buckets, and a third focused on undergarments.
These weren’t the only hardworking people we encountered in the countryside. On the outskirts of Jaipur, we stopped to see local artisans making exquisite hand-knotted oriental rugs. The craftsmanship was unbelievable. We witnessed nimble workers tying individual coloured wool and silk threads one by one, row by row, onto a vertical loom.
As we patiently watched we saw an intricate predefined pattern slowly come to life. A skilled weaver can tie about 6,000 knots per day. Our guide explained that it takes three months or more to knot a single 4x6-foot rug. Then, once fully knotted, equally skilled workers trim and shave the leftover loose threads with special shears to create a smooth and even pile on the finished rug.
From Ranthambore, we drove to Agra. The drive was yet another lesson in Indian traffic chaos. We covered approximately 250kms. However, thanks to the state of the rural roads, it took us more than six hours to cover the distance. Furthermore, much to my dismay, the final 90 minutes or so were driven in the dark. Without a doubt, they were the most terrifying road miles I’ve ever endured.
As night fell it became clear that our driver had long since concluded that headlights were never installed for lighting the road ahead. Instead, he’d flick them on and off to warn traffic of his presence as it came careering towards us on the wrong side of the road – or to warn opposing traffic we were currently barrelling down the wrong side.
Furthermore, as we drove, we'd encounter people sitting and lying on the edge of the asphalt, their heads and limbs mere inches from our whirling tyres. I also witnessed four lanes of traffic passing at breakneck speed on what was supposedly a two-lane highway. Then, to cap it all off, people and vehicles continually moved onto and off the road without warning, often in complete darkness. I’ve never experienced such a white-knuckle ride in my life and in a vehicle without seat belts. I pray I never will again!
Follow this link to learn more about our time in Agra.
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